Community Groups seek funding from City Council

Fort St. John City Council held a Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, where community groups continued to seek funding in the City’s budget.

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First up was the Whiskey Jack Nordic Ski Club, which was hoping the city would continue to provide a $1,500 grant to the Club. This grant in the past has been used for the upkeep of trails at the Links Golf Course. Without the funding, the club would have to either find sponsors or cease operations at Links.

The North Peace Historical Society, which owns, manages and maintains the Fort St. John North Peace Museum, is seeking an increase in their Base Budget Grant from $10,000 to $15,000. The Museum has recently been expanded, and with this expansion, their utility costs have increased as well as costs associated with researching and installing new exhibits which are putting stress on its financial situation.

With the lagging economy, the Museum’s main sources of income, which are admission and revenues from the gift shop, are not generating enough revenue to sustain the Museum. Also, funds received from B.C. Gaming and Bingo has decreased substantially from $22,500 to $18,000 to their current amount of funding which is $10,500.

Last up, was the Gradfest Society, which is hoping the City will fund them $2,200 as they have in the past for the Grade 12 graduation ceremony. Gradfest uses these funds to rent a venue for the ceremony. In the past they had used the Kids Arena, but they held the event last year in the Fort St. John Curling Rink. They have booked the Curling Rink once again for 2011.

There will be one more Committee of the Whole meeting to help deal with base grant funding requests. It will be held on Nov. 2. City Council hopes to deal with the requests by the end of the year.

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